ISG hosts farm bill listening sessions

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The first of several farm bill listening sessions was hosted by the Illinois Soybean Growers Dec. 14.

The in-person and virtual event was held to review legislative factors impacting the 2023 farm bill, to answer policy-related questions and to engage concerns and feedback from Illinois farmer leaders.

Leadership from Michael Torrey Associates, a government relations firm specializing in agricultural issues, presented the process for developing new farm legislation and led discussion around upcoming crop insurance issues, budget considerations, program review, voluntary carbon programs and results from a farmer survey initiated by ISG.

The farm bill is the primary driver of federal farm policy, which is revisited by the House and Senate Ag Committees every five years. The 2018 farm bill, scheduled to expire in 2023, incorporates 12 titles, including commodities, conservation, trade, rural development, research and energy.

ISG political strategists predict factors that will impact the 2023 farm bill will include the new Ag Committee leadership, climate change, trade challenges, pandemic-related issues, research and conservation, and cost expenditures.

The process of developing recommendations from farmers for the new legislation began at the Illinois Soybean Association in February.

“We did some Farm Bill 101 sessions to get everybody up to speed on the various programs, the various titles and the things we work with inside of that lengthy piece of legislation,” said Mike Levin, ISA senior director of government affairs.

“This early, there are more questions than there are answers. That’s why it’s important that we actively engage in conversation with our farmers and do a lot of listening. We want to know what our farmers want from this farm bill, what they’re concerned about, where we should focus our efforts and where gaps exist.”

Q&A

At the conclusion of the listening session, Levin addressed the process in an interview with AgriNews.

What’s the background of these listening sessions and is it something ISA has done for previous farm bills?

“Yes, we have. Obviously, as we begin to prepare for a new farm bill, we like to gather our members and our farmer leaders together to begin to listen in on what they want to see in the new farm bill as we work through some of these issues in the very beginning stages of engagement. We like to hold these listening sessions as a way to educate our farmers on what is currently in the farm bill and what they would like to see in the various titles as far as issues, as far as changes, as far as amendments go in the new farm bill.”

Are more listening sessions planned?

“There are more planned. We like to start ours internally and work with our members and our farmer leaders. We will then work in conjunction with the other commodities here in Illinois, Illinois Corn Growers Association, Illinois Farm Bureau and others to partner with them and to hold additional farm bill listening sessions throughout the state. We want to listen and hear from as many farmer members as we can as we build up the process overall for the next farm bill.”

Is the end plan to gather the information collected from the listening sessions and provide that to lawmakers?

“Yes, and work very closely with our congressional delegation and then move away from Illinois and begin to work in more of a regional space, working with the Midwest states that, No. 1, border Illinois, but No. 2, and as important is really see where we can let’s say take pages from other commodities that have been very, very successful in seeing what works best for the Midwest region, and looking at the various titles within the farm bill.”

How many farm bills have you worked on over your career?

“This will be my third farm bill. It is quite a lengthy process, and it really takes a good strong amount of work and due diligence. That’s why we are really beginning that process now and really the start of this year to educate our farmers on what is currently in the farm bill, what’s working, what’s not working and through the ebbs and flows what they want to see.”

Leading into the 2023 farm bill will be the 2022 mid-term elections and the potential swing in House and Senate leadership. With possible changes, is it your role to gather the information of farmers’ farm bill priorities and have it ready for legislators after the mid-term elections?

“Yes, absolutely, all the while doing the work now and ready to continue to educate some of the newer legislators, as well as advocate for the issues and the programs and an overall farm policy that works for our farmers in Illinois and throughout the Midwest.”